Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 27
27
The Department explained that it was not, and had never been, directly responsible for the...
Conclusion
The Department explained that it was not, and had never been, directly responsible for the college as this fell under the remit of the Department for Education. It explained that it’s detailed involvement in the college had been limited and that this had “been a bit of a challenge”. It similarly noted that it had limited conversations with the University of Birmingham about the college, but confirmed that it had been involved in discussions with the Department for Education about the merger. It recognised, however, that it was within its strategic interests to have a really strong relationship with the college and ensure that it is providing skills and the curriculum that were needed.62 Engagement with communities
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
5: PAC conclusion: The Department and HS2 Ltd do not adequately engage with the Department for Education to secure the skills required for the future of the programme and training the next generation of skilled workers. 5: PAC recommendation: The Department must proactively engage with the Department for Education and other relevant education providers to ensure there are plans in place for further education colleges to get the through-flow required for the programme. The Department should write to us to explain how it is engaging with these stakeholders within three months. 5.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented 5.2 The department wrote to the Committee in November 2021 setting out how it is engaging with the Department for Education (DfE) and other relevant education providers. 5.3 HS2 Ltd has had a team focusing on this from early on in the programme and in 2018 published a HS2 Skills, Employment and Education strategy. This strategy seeks to ensure that the programme has the people with the skills needed and will leave a skills legacy. More recently, the Building the Skills to Deliver HS2 report was published by HS2 Ltd and sets out what skills interventions are already in place and how this work has been refocused in light of the start of main works construction and the pandemic. 5.4 The department worked closely with HS2 Ltd and the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA, which is responsible for funding education and skills for children, young people and adults) to support the recent merger between the University of Birmingham and National College for Advanced Transport and Infrastructure (NCATI). Ofsted’s latest monitoring inspection of NCATI had judged the college to be making significant progress and the department will work with the college and the ESFA to continue to build on this. 5.5 Alongside NCATI there are several Further Education (FE) providers along the HS2 route that provide relevant courses and training and the department engages with ESFA regarding this provision as well. These and other FE providers across the country will support not just the delivery of HS2 but also infrastructure projects across the country. The department will continue to work closely with the ESFA to identify any challenges to provision, to support the HS2 programme and the department’s wider infrastructure programme.